Helpful - Even If You're Not an Expert (Scoutmaster Minute)

Have you ever watched everybody else pitching in on something and stood off to the side, because you didn't know how to help?

Maybe the patrol is setting up the dining fly, and you've never done it before. Maybe there's a service project, and everybody else seems to know what they're doing. So you hang back. You don't want to get in the way, or do it wrong.

Here's the thing. You don't have to be an expert to be helpful.

You can hold the pole steady while someone else ties the knot. You can carry the water. You can hand people tools. You can say, "I've never done this. Can you show me?" and then you're learning and helping at the same time. You can pick up the trash, wipe down the table, or just keep the group's spirits up with a good attitude.

Every job has a hundred small parts, and most of them don't take any special skill. They just take someone willing to jump in.

And here's a bonus. The Scouts who jump in, even when they don't know much, end up learning faster than anybody. A year from now, you'll be the one showing a new Scout how to set up that dining fly.

So next time, don't stand on the side. Walk up and ask, "What can I do?" That's all it takes.